INDEFINABLE STRENGTH

US President Barack Obama has constantly been in the headlines for the better part of two years now, and I’ve gotten almost used to it, but today’s Philippine Daily Inquirer issue was just dreary. The only shining light I could find in it was this article on education by a certain Niceto Poblador, entitled ‘Beyond reform, beyond transformation,’ referring to the government monopoly on education.

But I’d like to stick to the fascination with Obama.

A MORAL FORCE DOES NOT EXIST IN THE GOVERNMENT

Today’s Inquirer headlines (Why am I always picking on the Inquirer’s contents?) has Chief Justice Reynato Puno speaking of a need for a ‘moral force’ that would raise the country from its dire situation.

Nice statement, from someone whose reputation of being above the corrupt fold is only due to his vigorous public relations effort (using public funds). I myself was a recipient of P5,000 in SM gift checks during the first Christmas of Justice Puno’s reign, when I was still with the media. I blew it all on CDs and clothes, as I recall; I’m no hypocrite about it.

NOTHING NEW ABOUT IT

The Philippine Daily Inquirer has recently published two articles of pretty much the same vein, declarations of governments’ supposedly new role in these challenging economic times: Walden Bello’s ‘The coming capitalist consensus’ and Roland Simbulan’s ‘Emerging alternative to neoliberalism.’

Thus do we hear of an alleged recent ideology of ‘neoliberalism,’ whose advocates want a free market no matter the cost and the marginalization, who insist on maintaining obliviousness to the suffering in the community. With the collapse of financial markets over the past year, the general public and economists tell us, we have witnessed the downfall of such backward dog-eat-dog thinking, and it’s time for the state to provide an alternative policy.

ILLEGAL DRUGS SHOULD BE LEGAL

This holiday season, with not much to report about, the Philippine media has focused on the continued detention of the ‘Alabang Boys,’ who, as part of an illegal drugs syndicate, have been supplying various clubs with marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy. The issue betrays the as-yet narrow viewpoint of the public regarding the ‘drug problem.’

I am of the position that illegal drugs – not just marijuana, but the deadlier stuff such as cocaine and heroin – should be legal.